Feathers!

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Gobble, gobble… it’s nearly Turkey Time! Today’s storytime was all about birds (including lovable–delicious?– turkeys.)

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Ten Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
*Song: Hello, Mr. Turkey
Fingerplay: Mr. Turkey Went Out One Day
Read-aloud #2: Wow! said the Owl by Tim Hopgood
**Flannel: Mr. Turkey’s Feathers
Song/Fingerplay: Hands Up High
Song/Fingerplay: Blackbirds
Read-aloud #3: Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems
Fingerplay: Five Fat Sausages
***Flannel: Five Hungry Pilgrims
Read-aloud #4 (Story Cards): The Enormous Carrot
Fingerplay: Way Up High in the Apple Tree
Action Song: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Action Rhyme: I Clap My Hands
Dancing Song (with shakers!): “I Know a Chicken” from Laurie Berkner’s Whaddaya Think of That?

CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

*Hello Mr. Turkey (to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It):
Hello, Mr. Turkey
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you?
Hello Mr. Turkey, how are you?
With a gobble, gobble, gobble
and a wobble, wobble, wobble
Hello Mr. Turkey how are you?

**Mr. Turkey’s Feathers
(Make a flannel of a turkey sans feathers. Also make red, blue, green, orange, yellow, purple, black, white and brown feather pieces to add to the turkey as the rhyme progresses.)
Mr. Turkey was so sad,
He lost the feathers he once had.
Now he wants us to help him find
All the feathers of his kind.
We will look both high and low,
We will find them, don’t you know.
Here’s a RED one and a BLUE,
Look, we’ve found a GREEN one, too.
Here’s an ORANGE one and a YELLOW,
Soon he’ll be a feathered fellow.
Now we’ve found the PURPLE one,
BLACK and WHITE, we’re almost done.
If we just look up and down.
I know we’ll find the feather BROWN.
Now Mr. Turkey is so glad,
For we have found the feathers he once had!

***Five Hungry Pilgrims (Source unknown)
Five hungry pilgrims were in a grumpy mood.
The first one said, “I’m ready for some food!”
The second one said, “Some turkey would be nice.”
The third one said, “Or a pumpkin pie slice.”
The fourth one said, “Mashed potatoes, please.”
The fifth one said, “And some nice green peas!”
With a chew and a gulp and a munch, munch, munch,
The five little pilgrims were a happy bunch.

Pig-tastic!

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This storytime was so much fun. The kids (and I!) especially enjoyed the book, Z-Z-ZOINK! It’s about a pig who snores so loudly that no one wants to sleep in the same room as her. Fun to be dramatic with and giggle at 🙂

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: The Long-Nosed Pig by Keith Faulkner (pop-up book)
*Fingerplay: I Wiggle
Song (sung with a puppet on my head): Pig on Her Head (from Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz)
Read-aloud #2: Can You Make a Piggy Giggle? by Linda Ashman OR Ten Dirty Pigs/Ten Clean Pigs By Carol Roth
Action Song: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Nursery Rhyme/Flannel: This Little Piggy
Read-aloud #3: Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! by David McPhail OR Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? by Barney Saltzberg
**Fingerplay: Two Mother Pigs
(Song/Fingerplay/Finger puppets: Ten in the Bed)
Read-aloud #4: Z-Z-ZOINK! by Bernard Most
Flannel/Storytelling: The Three Little Pigs
(“Dancing” Song–with bean bags: “The Bean Bag” from Hap Palmer: Can a Jumbo Jet Sing the Alphabet?)

CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

*I Wiggle My Fingers
I wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle my toes,
I wiggle my shoulders,
I wiggle my nose.
Now all the wiggles are out of me
And I’m just as quiet
As I can be.

**Two Mother Pigs
Two mother pigs lived in a pen, (two thumbs up) Each had four babies and that made ten. (Wiggle four fingers on each hand)
These four babies were black and white. (Wiggle four fingers on one hand)
These four babies were black as night. (Wiggle four fingers on the other hand)
All eight babies loved to play. (Wiggle eight fingers)
And the rolled and they rolled in the mud all day. (Roll hands)
At night, with their mother,
They curled up in a heap, (Make fists, palms up)
And squealed and squealed
‘Til they went to sleep. (Tuck thumbs under fingers)

Other Piggy Books to consider: Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; Piggies by Audrey Wood

Froggy Fun

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The kids really loved this theme!

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan (big book)
*Action Rhyme: Not Say a Single Word
Fingerplay: Ten Little Fingers
Read-aloud #2: The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner (pop-up book)
**Fingerplay: Rain is Falling Down
Song/Fingerplay/Props: Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Read-aloud #3: Bad Frogs by Thacher Hurd
Song: Mmm Ahh Went the Little Green Frog (A great video of this song can be found here!)
Action Song: If You’re Wearing Read Today
***Action Rhyme: I Clap My Hands
Read-aloud #4: The Croaky Pokey! by Ethan Long
“Dancing” Song: “Hokey Pokey” from Carole Peterson: Sticky Bubble Gum and Other Tasty Tunes

CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

*Not Say a Single Word
(Suit actions to words.)
Can you hop, hop, hop like a bunny?
Can you run, run, run like a dog?
Can you walk, walk, walk like a elephant?
Can you jump, jump, jump like a frog?
Can you swim, swim, swim like a goldfish?
Can you fly, fly, fly like a bird?
Can you sit right down and fold your hands,
And not say a single word?

**Rain Is Falling Down
Rain is falling down,
(Raise hands up high and flutter fingers down)
Splash!
(Slap floor with gusto)
Rain is falling down,
(Raise hands up high and flutter fingers down)
Splash!
(Slap the floor)
Pitter patter, pitter patter,
(Quietly. Flutter fingers delicately.)
Rain is falling down,
(Flutter fingers down.)
Splash!
(Slap floor with gusto)

***I Clap My Hands
(Suit actions to words)
I clap my hands,
I touch my feet,
I jump up from the ground.
I clap my hands,
I touch my feet,
And turn myself around.

Pets are Fun!

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Panera AND Randall Oaks Storytimes today! I’m continuing to entertain over at the Panera in Elgin the first and third Mondays of each month at 9:30 am. I also started another 6 week session of FUN over at our Randall Oaks Branch Library today at 10:30 am. Today, we had extra FUN with a PETS storytime 🙂 Bark! Meow!

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (Also: use swallowing “dog” puppet with various animal finger puppets inside)
Song (with finger puppets): Barnyard Gate [version available on Ed McCurdy: Children’s Songs: the Greatest Hits (I Had a Little Rooster)]
(Flannel: Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill)
Read-aloud #2: What Will Fat Cat Sit On? By Jan Thomas OR The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them
Read-aloud #3: I See Kitty by Yasmine Surovec
Flannel: The Three Little Kittens
Read-aloud #4: Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin
*Flannel: Silly Dog
Song: Do Your Ears Hang Low? (Lyrics and Melody can be found here. Miss Jennifer made the song extra silly by wearing pantyhose on her head and pretending the “legs” were her ears! We only sang the first verse.)
(Read-aloud #5: Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown)
(“Dancing” Song: “Animal Action” from Greg and Steve’s Kids in Motion)

CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This

*Silly Dog flannel (Source unknown)
The dog is red,
His tail is yellow,
His nose is blue.
He’s a handsome fellow!
His ears are pink,
His feet are green.
He’s the silliest dog
I’ve ever seen!

Pumpkin Time!

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(Also: my nephew/godson Jackson’s FIRST storytime!) Hope everyone has a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 🙂

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Five Little Pumpkins by Iris Van Rynbach OR Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
*Fingerplay: Once there was a pumpkin
Read-aloud #2: Pumpkin Heads! by Wendell Minor OR The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis
Fingerplay: Fun with Hands
**Flannel: Pumpkin, Pumpkin
Flannel: Five Little Pumpkins
Read-aloud #3: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo OR The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
Flannel: Pumpkin Pie Time
Read-aloud #4: Brooms are for Flying by Michael Rex OR What’s in the Witch’s Kitchen? (flap book) by Nick Sharratt
Puppet Story: Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley (Puppet available here.)
(Read-aloud #5 (Pop-up): Little Monsters by Jan Pienkowski)
(“Dancing” Song: “Shake My Sillies Out” from Raffi’s More Singable Songs)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

*Once there was a pumpkin
Once there was a pumpkin. (Make a circle with hands.)
And it grew, And grew, And grew. (With each “grew”, make imaginary pumpkin bigger.)
Now it’s a jack-o-lantern And smiles at you! (With a smile, point to each other.)

**Pumpkin, Pumpkin
Pumpkin, pumpkin, round and fat
Turned into a jack-o-lantern just like that!
(Two-sided flannel pieces can be purchased here.)

Princes and Princesses

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Hear ye! Hear ye! A Royalty Storytime! (Thank you, Princess Evelyn for coming to visit me…)

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: George, the Dragon and the Princess by Christopher Wormell
*Flannel: Little Mouse
Read-aloud #2: King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood
Storytelling (with finger puppets): Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley
Read-aloud #3: Snog the Frog by Tony Bonning
Song/Fingerplay/Props: Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Read-aloud #4: Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt
Flannel: Queen of Hearts (a shape story by Jean Warren)
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them
(“Dancing” Song: “Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands” from Carole Peterson: Sticky Bubble Gum and Other Tasty Tunes) (I wanted to use Nancy’s Stewart’s “Clapping in the Castle”, but I was having computer issues… Good thing I had a back-up song!)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

*Little Mouse
Little Mouse, Little Mouse, Are you in the [insert color] house?
(Underneath different colored flannel houses, I place different flannel animals. Using a cat puppet, we go in search of the mouse flannel…)

Yee-haw!

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My Cowboy/girl storytime on Monday was so much fun!

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain by Jonathan Emmett
*Flannel: Five Little Cowgirls
Read-aloud #2: Are You a Horse? by Andy Rash (I shortened a bit…)
**Action Rhyme: I’m a Little Cowboy
Fingerplay: Ten Little Fingers
Read-aloud #3: Clip Clop by Nicola Smee
Flannel Song: Sally the Camel
Action Song: Fun with Hands
Read-aloud #4: Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
(“Dancing” Song: “Hands Are For Clapping” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

**Five Little Cowgirls (Source unknown)
5 little cowgirls sitting on a gate.
The first one said, “This rodeo’s great.”
The second one said, “I love the clowns.”
The third one said, “I like the sounds.”
The fourth one said, “Can you ride a bull?”
The fifth one said, “No, but it sure looks cool!”
Then buzz went the bell, and the gate flew open–
And off went the cowgirls, ridin’ and ropin’

**I’m a Little Cowboy
I’m a little cowboy.
Here is my hat
(point to self, then to hat)
Here are my spurs
(point to your heels)
And here are my chaps
(pat legs)
As soon as I get up,
(stretch, pretend to wake up)
I work all day
(pretend to lasso a cow)
I get on my horse
(pretend to get on a horse)
And ride away.
(Pretend to gallop on a horse)

The Farmer in the Library

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Farming… always a well-received storytime theme…

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
Fingerplay: Way Up High in the Apple Tree
*Flannel: Five Little Apples
Read-aloud #2: I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs
**Flannel: Open Up the Barn Door
Read-aloud #3: When the Rooster Crowed by Patricia Lillie
Flannel Song: Old MacDonald
Read-aloud #4: The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
Action Rhyme: Hands Up High
(“Dancing” Song: “The Wiggle Song” from Carole Peterson: Sticky Bubble Gum and Other Tasty Tunes)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

*Five Little Apples
(Chanted to Five Little Monkeys Teasing Mr. Crocodile)
Five little apples hanging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Slinky Worm “you can’t eat me”,
Along comes Mr. Slinky Worm quiet as can be…
and…CRUNCH!
(Chant with 4,3,2,1)
(Used tree flannel, 5 apple flannels and a worm finger puppet)

**Open up the Barn Door (source unknown)
Open up the barn door, tra la la
There’s a sheep inside, he’s saying Baa
Open up the barn door, it’s a sunny day
There’s a horse inside, and she’s saying Neigh
Open up the barn door as fast as you know how
There’s a cat inside, and she’s saying Meow
Open up the barn door, keep it open now
There’s a dog inside who’s saying Bow-wow
Open up the barn door, we have a lot to do
There’s a cow inside, and she’s saying Moo
Open up the barn door, quick as you can point
There’s a pig inside, and he is saying Oink

Arrgh! Pirates!

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My FIRST Pirate Storytime, Mateys! Most of my plan was copied from Storytime Katie… Thanks Katie! 🙂

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler
*Flannel: Five Little Pirates (Counting)
**Flannel Song: Pirate Wore a Red Patch
Read-aloud #2: Pirate Nap by Danna Smith
Song/Fingerplay/Finger puppets: Ten in the Bed
**Fingerplay: 10 Little Pirates
Read-aloud #3: Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett J. Krosczka
Flannel: Five Elephants in the Bathtub
Read-aloud #4: Shiver Me Letters by June Sobel
Song: ABC
(“Dancing” Song: “Coconut Soap” from Frank Leto’s Time for Music)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

*Five Little Pirates (Source unknown.)
Five little pirates hear the captain roar.
One raised the black flag, and then there were four.
Four little pirates, sailing on the sea,
One tumbled overboard, and then there were three.
Three little pirates, swam the ocean blue,
One swam away, and then there were two.
Two little pirates standing in the sun,
One felt too hot, and then there was one.
One little pirate liked to have fun,
He found a treasure chest, and then there were none.

**Found these gems on Storytime Katie’s site.

My Name is (Jennifer)

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New storytime session. New kids. New names…

OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story

PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams
*Flannel song: “Aiken Drum”
Read-aloud #2: My Name is Elizabeth by Annika Dunklee
**Song (with actions): “Hi, My Name is Joe”
Read-aloud #3: No, David by David Shannon
***Song: Tony Chestnut
Read-aloud #4: Catalina Magdelena… by Tedd Arnold
Action Rhyme: Hands up High
Fingerplay: Two Little Blackbirds
Read-aloud #5: Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
Song: Fun with Hands
(Dancing Song: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song)

CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye

* Aiken Drum
There was a man lived in the moon,
lived in the moon, lived in the moon,
There was a man lived in the moon,
and his name was Aiken Drum.
And he played upon a ladle,
a ladle, a ladle,
He played upon a ladle,
and his name was Aiken Drum.
And his eyes were made of gum drops…
And his nose was a banana…
And his mouth was a watermelon…
And is hair was made of green beans…
(Templates can be found in the book 52 Programs for Preschoolers: The Librarian’s Year-Round Planner by Diane Briggs.)

** “Hi, My Name is Joe”(I learned this from Sharon, Lois and Bram when I was a kid.)
(Have kids join you in movements.)

Hi. My name is Joe and I work in a button factory..
I got a wife and a dog and a family.
One day, my boss comes up to me. He says,
“Hi Joe, are you busy?”
I say “No”
He says,
“Okay, turn the button with your right hand.””
(make the motion with your right hand)

You repeat this with…
…turn the button with your left hand.
…turn the button with your right foot.
…turn the button with your left foot.
…turn the button with your head.

And then the next time he says…
”Joe, are you busy?”
You shout – “YES!”

*** Tony Chestnut
(Point to appropriate parts of the body>)
Toe Knee Chest Nut (head)
Nose Eye Love (heart)
You (point to others)
Toe Knee Nose, Toe Knee Nose
Toe Knee Chest Nut (head)
Nose Eye Love (heart)
You (point to others)
That’s what Toe Knee Nose.